US joins Israel-Iran conflict with overnight bombing campaign

President Donald Trump said the US military carried out strikes Sunday on three Iranian nuclear sites and that Tehran “must now agree to end this war”, following days of speculation over whether the United States would join its ally Israel’s bombing campaign.

As the Iran-Israel war entered its 10th day, here are the latest developments:

US intervention

Trump said the US military carried out a “very successful attack” on three Iranian nuclear sites, including the underground uranium enrichment facility at Fordo.

“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform, referring to Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz.

“A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site,” Fordo, he said, adding the planes were safely out of Iranian airspace and on the way home.

Iranian media said the Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites were hit.

Ahead the US strikes, The New York Times and specialist plane tracking sites said American B-2 stealth bombers had left a base in the United States and flown across the Pacific.

The B-2 can carry America’s heaviest payloads, including the bunker-busting GBU-57 — the only weapon capable of destroying Iran’s deeply buried nuclear facility in Fordo.

Trump said that, after the strikes, Iran “must now agree to end this war”, insisting that under no circumstances should Iran possess a nuclear weapon.

Israel raised its alert level after the strikes, permitting only essential activities until further notice, the military announced.

Iran says US attacks ‘outrageous’

Iran’s top diplomat, Abbas Araghchi, condemned the US attacks and said his country had the right to defend its sovereignty.

“The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences,” the foreign minister wrote on X, describing the attacks as “lawless and criminal”.

“In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defence, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.”

Iran’s foreign ministry said in a separate statement Washington “will stop at no illegality or crime” to support Israel.

Iran and Israel exchange missile salvos

Iran’s armed forces said they targeted multiple sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport, after US attacks on key nuclear sites.

The targets included the airport, a “biological research centre”, logistics bases and various layers of command and control centres, it said, quoted by Fars news agency.

IRNA news agency said 40 missiles were fired in the “20th wave” of Iranian strikes.

At least 23 people were hurt and police said at least three impacts were reported.

“Houses here were hit very, very badly,” Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai told reporters at the scene. “Fortunately, one of them was slated for demolition and reconstruction, so there were no residents inside.

“Those who were in the shelter are all safe and well. The damage is very, very extensive, but in terms of human life, we are okay.”

The Israeli military said it had launched its own fresh waves of strikes in western Iran and in Qom, south of Tehran, IRNA reported four Revolutionary Guard members were killed in strikes on a military base in the north of the city.

UN nuclear watchdog says ‘no increase’ in radiation

The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency said it had not detected any increase in radiation levels at key nuclear sites in Iran following the US strikes.

“Following attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran… the IAEA can confirm that no increase in off-site radiation levels has been reported as of this time,” the watchdog said on X.

The UN body’s head, Rafael Grossi, said the IAEA would hold an “emergency meeting” at the organisation’s headquarters in Vienna on Monday in response to the US strikes.

© Agence France-Presse